United Kingdom

The British Isles have a proud seafaring tradition, and the waters that surround them offer some of the world’s most varied and invigorating opportunities for sailing at all levels. With typical understatement, the British themselves refer to any water-borne activity as ‘messing about in boats’ – but they certainly seem to love it!

Whether it’s learning to sail out on the Solent, or a corporate hospitality event in a boat on the River Thames, everybody shares the excitement of being ‘on the water’. Sailing in the UK is often as much about the social aspects as the activity itself, but as their Olympic success shows, the Brits have sailing in their blood. Their skills are honed by the challenges of negotiating the world’s busiest shipping lanes including the English Channel, whilst coping with tides and rapidly changing weather conditions - there’s never a dull moment! Marinas and harbours offer excellent facilities, and evenings ashore usually involve sharing tales of the day’s adventures in the friendly village pub.